Footwear and method of using such footwear

ABSTRACT

A shoe that includes a sole assembly, an upper including a vamp and a tightening device. The tightening device includes keepers, a single lace having a tightening portion in a lacing path, and a blocking element having an active state for fixing a length of the tightening portion of the lace. The tightening device includes a vamp keeper provided on the vamp of the upper, as well as a tension member configured to reversibly pass the tightening portion of the lace between the lacing path and a tightening path when the blocking element is in the active state.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon French Patent Application No. FR16/00920, filed Jun. 8, 2016, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, and the priority ofwhich is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119.

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to footwear, such as a shoe, and to the use ofsuch footwear.

In particular, the invention relates to a shoe adapted to receive one ofthe user's feet to practice physical activity.

The invention is particularly applicable to physical activity practicedby a user in mountains, such as hiking or running.

2. Background Information

To engage in physical activity of the aforementioned type, it is knownto use shoes, each having suitable sole assembly and flexible upper. Theshoe also comprises a suitable tightening device for adjustablytightening the upper on the foot of the user. The tightening deviceconventionally comprises keepers, a lace threaded through the keepersalong a lacing path, and a blocking element. The blocking element, forexample, is formed by the end portions of the lace itself. The blockingelement has has:

-   -   an inactive state in which it enables the user to modify a        length of a tightening portion of the lace in the lacing path        when the end portions are free, and    -   an active state in which it fixes the length of the tightening        portion of the lace when the end portions are tied.

The user may need to improve his/her supports and sensations alonghis/her moving path, or to vary the physical activity, as is the case,for example, when the user switches from hiking or running to rockclimbing. The user then needs to be able to increase the tighteningintensity.

To carry this out, the user has to switch the blocking element from theactive state to the inactive state by loosening the laces in thepreceding example, pull on the laces, and return the blocking element tothe active state.

Such tightening adjustment takes a long time to carry out. Furthermore,it generally occurs in the area of the instep and does not make itpossible to evenly tighten the upper on the foot, including in the areaof the toes. The user, whose foot is not evenly held, does not have thesupports and sensations to enable control of his/her movements.

SUMMARY

The invention overcomes the drawbacks mentioned above.

To this end, according to a first aspect of the invention, the inventionincludes a shoe extending along a direction of its length the following:

-   -   a sole assembly on which the foot of the user is to be        supported, the sole assembly extending along a direction of its        length between a tip and a heel;    -   a flexible upper comprising a lower portion adjoining the sole        assembly and configured to cover the foot of the user, the upper        comprising a vamp adjoining the tip of the sole assembly and        configured to cover at least the toes of the user;    -   an upper tightening device configured to tighten the upper on        the foot of the user, the upper tightening device comprising:        -   keepers arranged on the upper in two rows of keepers            arranged on each of respective sides of a tightening axis            extending parallel or substantially parallel to the length            direction;        -   a single lace threaded into the keepers of each row of            keepers along a lacing path so as to be capable of bringing            the rows of keepers closer to one another by pulling on the            lace, the lace having a tightening portion in the lacing            path; and        -   a blocking element having an inactive state in which the            blocking element enables the user to modify a length of the            tightening portion of the lace, and an active state in which            the blocking element fixes the length of the tightening            portion;        -   the keepers comprising at least one vamp keeper provided on            the vamp of the upper, the lacing path including the vamp            keeper; and        -   the upper tightening device further comprising at least one            tension member arranged on the upper so as to define at            least one tightening path including the lacing path and            having a length greater than the lacing path, the tension            member being configured to reversibly pass the tightening            portion of the lace between the lacing path and the            tightening path when the blocking element is in the active            state.

Thus, the invention makes it possible to simply and quickly lengthen thepath of the lace with the same tightening portion so as to evenlyincrease the intensity of the tightening, even in the area of the toes.The user can thus more easily exert support forces and more easilyreceive sensations from the ground to enable him/her to better controlhis/her movements.

The tension member can be positioned on the vamp.

The tension member can be a hook arranged at a distance from thetightening axis and can have an opening oriented in a direction oppositethe tightening axis.

The tension member can be provided on one of the vamp keepers.

The vamp keeper may include a body comprising an opening configured toreceive a portion of the lace, and the tension member.

The upper can extend along its length between a toe cap and a heelcounter, and along a transverse direction between a medial side portionand a lateral side portion, and the at least one vamp keeper can includetwo end keepers arranged at respective lower ends of the rows ofkeepers, the end keepers being arranged on the respective medial andlateral side portions of the upper, the end keeper arranged on themedial side portion being offset along the lengthwise direction towardsthe tip of the upper in relation to the end keeper arranged on thelateral side portion. These arrangements make it possible to obtaintightening that is more suited to the anatomy of the foot. Indeed, thebig toe has an articulation of the first phalanx located substantiallyin the area of one end of the little toe. Because the end keeper locatedin the area of the big toe is offset forward in relation to the endkeeper located in the area of the little toe, tightening can be achievedon all of the toes.

The upper may comprise at least one slit provided on the vamp, and thetightening device can include at least one strap having a first endfixed to either one of an inner surface of the sole assembly or an innersurface of the upper, and a free second end extending through the slit,the vamp keeper being provided at the second end of the strap. Thesearrangements make it possible to apply the tightening directly on thetoes of the foot.

The lace may have a central section and two end sections on either sideof the central section, the central section having a transverse crosssection with a perimeter less than a perimeter of a transverse crosssection of each of the end sections. These arrangements make it possibleto limit friction between the lace and the upper, and to define alocation in the area of the toes at which the increase in tighteningintensity is more significant.

The upper can comprise a tongue for covering at least a portion of theinstep of the user and along which the tightening axis extends, and thevamp can comprise a throat adjoining the tongue, the at least one vampkeeper being provided on the throat.

According to a second aspect, the invention is also directed to a methodof using a shoe as defined above, providing:

-   -   positioning the foot in the shoe, the blocking element being in        the inactive state;    -   adjusting tightening of the shoe upper on the foot by pulling on        the lace to modify the length of the tightening portion of the        lace and to bring the rows of keepers closer to one another;    -   placing the blocking element in the active state in order to fix        the length of the tightening portion of the lace; and    -   switching the tightening portion of the lace from the lacing        path to the tightening path.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent uponreading the following description of a particular embodiment of theinvention given by way of non-limiting example, the description beingmade with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a front lateral portion of a shoeaccording to one embodiment of the invention, the shoe comprising a soleassembly, a flexible upper and an upper tightening device suitable foradjustably tightening the upper on the foot of the user, the uppertightening device comprising keepers, including a plurality of vampkeepers, and a lace threaded through the keepers along a lacing path;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the detail II in FIG. 1 of the lace of theshoe of FIG. 1, the lace having a central section and two end sectionson either side of the central section, the central section having atransverse cross section with a perimeter less than a perimeter of atransverse cross section of each of the end sections;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a front medial portion of the shoe ofFIG. 1, the upper tightening device comprising a tension member arrangedon the upper so as to define a tightening path;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the detail IV in FIG. 3 of the tensionmember of the shoe of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views of the shoe of FIG. 1 during use of the shoe,the tightening portion of the lace switching from the lacing path to thetightening path; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the detail VII in FIG. 6, illustrating thetightening portion of the lace of FIG. 1 passing through the tensionmember.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The same reference numerals designate identical or similar elements inthe drawing figures.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show a shoe 1 configured to enable a user to practice aphysical activity. Without being limited thereto, the shoe 1 isparticularly configured to physical activities practiced in mountains,such as hiking or running, during which the user may encounter varioustypes of terrain along his/her course, including climbing paths anddescending paths, for example.

The shoe 1 is structured to receive one of the user's feet and extendsgenerally along a lengthwise direction E. It comprises a sole assembly3, that is, an outer sole assembly, having an inner surface on which theuser's foot is supported, and an upper 6 configured to cover the foot ofthe user.

The sole assembly 3, which can be deformable to allow a bending orrolling movement of the sole assembly and, likewise, bending and rollingof the foot, extends along the lengthwise direction E between a tip 4and a heel 5. Such bending or rolling refers to a longitudinal bending,such as during alternate raising and lowering of the heel in relation toa forward portion of the sole assembly, and such as a flexing in a zonecorresponding to a user's metatarso-phalangeal joint.

In the exemplary illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the flexible upper6 comprises only a lower portion 7 adjoining the sole assembly 3, thatis, it does not include an upper portion that extends above the user'sankle. The upper 6 extends along the lengthwise direction E between atoe cap 8 and a heel counter 9, and along a transverse direction T,perpendicular to the lengthwise direction E, between a medial portion10, or side, inward of the foot, and a lateral portion 11, or side,outward of the foot. Opposite the heel 5 of the sole assembly 3, theupper 6 has an upper edge 12 demarcating an opening 13 along a verticaldirection V, perpendicular to the lengthwise direction E and transversedirection T, through which the user can insert his/her foot into theshoe 1. To make it easier to insert the foot, the upper edge 12 canextend over a portion of the upper 6 corresponding to the instep of theuser's foot between two opposite edges 14. The upper 6 also comprises atongue 15 extending between the edges 14 so as to cover at least aportion of the instep of the user. Alternatively, the edges 14 extendingthe upper edge 12 could extend on a medial wall 16 of the medial portion10 or on a lateral wall 17 of the lateral portion 11. According toanother alternative, the upper 6 could be devoid of edges 14 that extendthe upper edge 12, the tongue 15 being made integral or unitary with themedial 16 and lateral 17 walls of the upper 6. The upper 6 furthercomprises a vamp 18 adjoining the tip 4 of the sole assembly 3 andconfigured to cover the toes, and possibly a portion of the instep ofthe user. The vamp 18 includes a throat 19 adjoining the tongue 15 andthe toe cap 8 of the upper 6.

In FIGS. 1 and 3, three pairs of slits are provided through the upper 6to enable an inner surface of the upper 6 to communicate with theoutside. In particular, a first pair of slits comprises two slits 20positioned opposite each other on the respective medial 16 and lateral17 walls. A second pair of slits comprises two slits 20 positionedopposite each other on the vamp 18, in particular on the throat 19, inthe vicinity of the tongue 15. A third pair of slits comprises anothertwo slits 20 arranged on the vamp 18, in particular on the throat 19, inthe vicinity of the toe cap 8 of the upper 6. In this third pair ofslits, the slit 20 arranged on the side of the medial portion 10 of theupper 6 is offset along the lengthwise direction E towards the toe cap 8of the upper in relation to the slit 20 arranged on the side the lateralportion 11 of the upper 6.

The shoe 1 also comprises a tightening device 25 for tightening theupper on the foot of the user. The upper tightening device 25 compriseskeepers 26 arranged on the upper in two rows of keepers arranged oneither respective side of a tightening axis S, each of the two rowsextending forwardly toward the tip of the shoe E. In the illustratedembodiment, the tightening axis S extends along the tongue 15. The tworows of keepers extend along the respective edges 14 that extend theupper edge 12 between respective upper ends, in the vicinity of theupper edge 12, and respective lower ends, in the vicinity of the toe cap8 of the upper 6.

The upper tightening device 25 comprises straps 28, portions of whichare outlined by broken lines, that project through the upper 6 inFIG. 1. Each strap 28 has a first end 28 a fixed inside the shoe 1, andin particular to the inner surface of the upper 6, or to the innersurface of the sole assembly 3, and a free second end 28 b extendingthrough one of the slits 20 of the upper 6. Each row of keepersincludes:

-   -   keepers 26, for example four in the illustrated embodiment, made        in the form of eyelets 29 through the upper 6 on the area of the        upper edge 12; and    -   keepers 26, for example three in the illustrated embodiment,        provided on the respective second ends of the straps 28 on the        area of the toe cap 8 of the upper 6.

Some of the keepers 26 provided on the straps are made in the form of aloop at the second end 28 b of the strap 28.

In FIG. 4, one of the keepers 26 arranged on the strap 28 extendingthrough the slit 20 on the side of the medial portion 10 of the secondpair of slits includes a body 30 made in one piece, for example made ofplastic, comprising a through opening 31. The body 30 further comprisesa hook 32 arranged at a distance from the tightening axis S and havingan opening oriented in a direction opposite the tightening axis S. Thebody 30 is affixed to the second end 28 b of the strap 28.

On each of the rows of keepers, keepers 26 provided on the vamp 18 ofthe upper 6 form vamp keepers 33. In the illustrated embodiment, thevamp keepers 33 are provided at the second ends 28 b of the straps 28extending through the slits 20 of the second and third pairs of slitsprovided on the throat 19. The vamp keepers 33 on the straps 28extending through the slits 20 of the third pair of slits in thevicinity of the toe cap 8 of the upper constitute end keepers 34arranged at the respective lower ends of the rows of keepers. Due to thearrangement of the slits 20 of the third pair of slits, one of the endkeepers 34, arranged on the medial portion 10, is offset along thelengthwise direction E toward the toe cap 8 of the upper 6 in relationto the other end keeper 34, arranged on the lateral portion 11.Alternatively, one or any other suitable number of vamp keepers arrangedon the vamp of the upper could be provided according to any othersuitable arrangement.

In the illustrated embodiment, the tightening device 25 comprises asingle lace 40. In the embodiment shown, the lace 40 has a centralsection 41 and two end sections 42 on either side of the central section41. In the central section 41 the lace has a transverse cross section,for example circular, with a perimeter less than a perimeter of atransverse cross section, for example oblong, of each of the endsections 42. The lace 40 is threaded into the keepers 26 of each row ofkeepers, including the opening 31 of the body 30 of the vamp keeper 33,along a lacing path. The lacing path is then defined by the keepers inwhich the lace is threaded, namely, in the illustrated embodiment, thevamp keepers 33 and at least a portion of the eyelets 29. The portion ofthe lace 40 located in the tightening path defines a tightening portion43. On either side of this tightening portion 43, the lace 40 has twoend portions 44 forming a blocking element having:

-   -   an inactive state in which it enables the user to modify a        length of the tightening portion 43 of the lace 40 in the lacing        path, when the end portions 44 are free, that is, untied; and    -   an active state in which it fixes the length of the tightening        portion 43 of the lace 40, when the end portions 44 are tied.

Alternatively, any other type of blocking element having theaforementioned inactive and active states could be provided according tothe invention. For example, the blocking element could comprise a bodyprovided with a through bore in which a user-actuable pin isdisplaceably mounted in translation between:

-   -   a blocking position in which it extends through the bore to        block the end portions 44 of the lace 40 inserted into the bore;        and    -   a release position in which it is at least partially spaced from        the bore to enable the end portions 44 of the lace 40 to slide        in the bore.

A use of the shoe 1 is now described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7.

As the blocking element is in the inactive state, namely the lace 40 isloosened and the end portions 44 are free, the user slips his/her footinto the shoe 1. The foot rests on the inner surface of the soleassembly 3 and is covered by the upper 6. In particular, the user's toesare covered by the vamp 18. The strap 28 carrying the end keeper 34 onthe medial portion 10 of the upper 6 is arranged in correspondence withthe big toe, and the strap 28 carrying the end keeper 34 on the lateralportion 11 of the upper 6 is arranged in correspondence with the littletoe.

The tightening of the upper 6 of the shoe 1 on the foot of the user isadjusted by pulling on the end portions 44 so as to modify the length ofthe tightening portion 43 of the lace 40. In doing so, the rows ofkeepers are brought closer to one another, reducing the fitting volumeof the shoe, including in the area of the toes, due to the vamp keepers33.

The end portions 44 of the lace 40 can then be tied to place theblocking element in the active state and thus fix the length of thetightening portion 43 of the lace 40 in the lacing path.

In order to increase the tightening intensity while keeping the blockingelement in the active state, that is to say, by keeping the lace 40tied, a strand of the tightening portion 43 of the lace 40 can bestretched and then placed in the hook 32 of the body 30 of the vampkeeper 33 as shown in FIG. 7.

The hook 32 forms a tension member arranged on the upper 6 so as todefine a tightening path including the lacing path and having a lengthgreater than the lacing path. The tension member makes it possible toreversibly pass the tightening portion 43 of the lace 40 between thelacing path and the tightening path when the blocking element is in theactive state. By lengthening the path of the lace with the sametightening portion 43, the tightening intensity can be increased evenly,if necessary for a predetermined duration, including in the area of thetoes.

The invention described in connection with a tension member in the formof a hook arranged on the vamp and, in particular, provided on one ofthe vamp keepers is in no way limited to this embodiment. Alternatively,any other configuration and arrangement of one or more tension membersmaking it possible to define one or more tightening paths could beprovided.

Further, at least because the invention is disclosed herein in a mannerthat enables one to make and use it, by virtue of the disclosure of aparticular exemplary embodiment, such as for simplicity or efficiency,for example, the invention can be practiced in the absence of anyadditional element or additional structure that is not specificallydisclosed herein.

1. A shoe for receiving a foot of a user to practice a physicalactivity, the shoe extending along a lengthwise direction andcomprising: a sole assembly on which the foot of the user is intended torest, the sole assembly extending along the lengthwise direction betweena tip and a heel; an upper comprising a lower portion adjoining the soleassembly and configured to cover the foot of the user, the uppercomprising a vamp adjoining the tip of the sole assembly and configuredto cover at least the toes of the user; and a tightening deviceconfigured to adjustably tighten the upper on the foot of the user; thetightening device comprising: keepers arranged on the upper in two rowsof keepers arranged on either respective side of a tightening axisextending between the heel and tip of the shoe; a single lace threadedinto the keepers of each row of keepers along a lacing path so as to becapable of bringing the rows of keepers closer to one another by pullingon the lace, the lace having a tightening portion in the lacing path;and a blocking element having an inactive state in which the blockingelement enables the user to modify a length of the tightening portion ofthe lace, and an active state in which the blocking element fixes thelength of the tightening portion of the lace; the tightening devicefurther comprising: at least one vamp keeper provided on the vamp of theupper, the lacing path including the vamp keeper; at least one tensionmember arranged on the upper so as to define at least one tighteningpath including the lacing path and having a length greater than thelacing path, the tension member being configured to reversibly pass thetightening portion of the lace between the lacing path and thetightening path when the blocking element is in the active state. 2.Shoe according to claim 1, wherein: the tension member is arranged onthe upper.
 3. Shoe according to claim 1, wherein: the tension member isa hook arranged at a distance from the tightening axis and having anopening oriented in a direction opposite the tightening axis.
 4. Shoeaccording to claim 1, wherein: the tension member is provided on one ofthe vamp keepers.
 5. Shoe according to claim 4, wherein: the vamp keepercomprises a body comprising an opening configured to receive a portionof the lace and the tension member.
 6. Shoe according to claim 1,wherein: the upper extends along the lengthwise direction between a toecap and a heel counter, and along a transverse direction between amedial portion and a lateral portion; the at least one vamp keepercomprises two end keepers arranged on respective lower ends of the rowsof keepers; the end keepers are arranged on the respective medial andlateral portions of the upper; the end keeper arranged on the medialportion is offset along the lengthwise direction towards the toe cap ofthe upper in relation to the end keeper arranged on the lateral portion.7. Shoe according to claim 1, wherein: the upper comprises at least oneslit provided on the vamp; and the tightening device comprises at leastone strap having a first end attached to either one of an inner surfaceof the sole assembly or an inner surface of the upper, and a free secondend extending through the slit, the vamp keeper being provided on thesecond end of the strap.
 8. Shoe according to claim 7, wherein: the lacehas a central section and two end sections on either side of the centralsection; and the central section of the lace has a transverse crosssection with a perimeter smaller than a perimeter of a transverse crosssection of each of the end sections.
 9. Shoe according to claim 1,wherein: the upper comprises a tongue adapted to cover at least aportion of the instep of a foot of the user and along which thetightening axis extends; and the vamp comprises a throat adjoining thetongue, the at least one vamp keeper being provided on the throat.
 10. Amethod of using a shoe according to claim 1, providing: positioning afoot in the shoe with the blocking element being in the inactive state;adjustably tightening the upper of the shoe on the foot by pulling onthe lace to modify the length of the tightening portion of the lace andto bring the rows of keepers closer to one another; placing the blockingelement in the active state in order to fix the length of the tighteningportion of the lace; and switching the tightening portion of the lacefrom the lacing path to the tightening path.